The Premier League leader hit the front through Bernardo Silva's 16th-minute opener but an XI featuring five changes from Wednesday's (AEDT) 2-2 Champions League draw at Lyon did not have things its own way.

Callum Wilson found a deserved equaliser but Bournemouth were sunk by a familiar foe.

Sterling's 57th-minute goal was his eighth in six top-flight appearances against Eddie Howe's side and Ilkay Gundogan's simple finish 10 minutes from time meant an uneven outing ended with City extending its lead at the summit to five points.

Bournemouth was bright initially, with Wilson unable to turn home Ryan Fraser's low cross from a clever short corner, but City soon established control.

Gabriel Jesus, starting in front of Sergio Aguero, stretched to prod wide from Oleksandr Zinchenko's delivery and the Ukraine international's ball over the top of the Cherries defence brought out Asmir Begovic to thwart Leroy Sane. Silva was on hand to crash home the loose ball.

City goalkeeper Ederson pushed to safety when Wilson failed to get a decisive touch on Josh King's inswinging cross, but he could not keep out the England striker's powerful 44th-minute header.

Zinchenko was forced off with badly damaged nose, having inadvertently clashed with his captain Fernandinho, while Sterling sought to get City going through a mazy dribble that ended with his deflected shot coming back off the upright.

The England winger's ninth goal of the season owed more to opportunism than ingenuity, however, as Begovic clumsily spilt Danilo's shot for him to find the roof of the net.

Fernandinho slid a left-footed shot narrowly wide, meaning Ederson's scrambled near-post save from Wilson came with nerves jangling.

But Sane engineered space down the left to tee up compatriot Gundogan, allowing Pep Guardiola to breath easily.